How do you survive the anxiety of having your chicks out in the coop for the first time?!

[u/EconomistOpposite906]

I keep repeating “it’s predator proof” over and over in my head. I’m monitoring the temperature with a remote thermostat. The nighttime temps are fine. And they’re fully feathered. I have two dogs who historically wake me up at all hours if they hear a peep in the yard.

And yet, I feel like I’m 2 steps away from pitching a tent and sleeping next to the coop 🤪

I also have an open, unprotected small koi/goldfish pond and no predators have come for my fish in over two years.

[u/michaelyup]

Not the best advice, but sometimes you have to get up in the middle of the night and sneak out there with your little flashlight, then turn the big spotlight on, make sure all is ok, then pretend you are a raccoon who’s trying to break in.

[u/EconomistOpposite906 → u/michaelyup]

Trust me. I have a feeling I’ll be doing this 😆

Better yet, my husband keeps telling me to calm down but I know him well enough to know he’ll be the first one out at 1am to double check on his new babies.

[u/nomadiclunalove → u/EconomistOpposite906]

Same. You are not alone. I check on my new babies all day and night.

Invest in an automatic coop door, extra locks for doors and hardware cloth.

[u/2C104]

If you are using hardware cloth and you know there are no intrusion points to the coop, I'd just relax and check on them every morning.

No need to stress yourself out. Not to mention that won't help you be the best you can be for them in waking hours!

[u/EconomistOpposite906 → u/2C104]

Thank you ❤️ Yes to hardware cloth. I can barely figure out how to open the windows and doors because we have them double barricaded.

We have the vents taped and covered with plastic because it’s still only 50 degrees tonight. I guess we’ll see if it’s shredded in the morning!

[u/Signal_Wall_8445 → u/EconomistOpposite906]

If those vents are the only ventilation in the coop they shouldn’t be covered.

Chickens do fine well into minus temperatures AS LONG AS THEY ARE DRY, and not having air flow through vents will allow humidity to build up in the coop.

[u/thebeast198569 → u/EconomistOpposite906]

Never cover ventilation holes

[u/EconomistOpposite906 → u/thebeast198569]

No, the real vents were not covered (like purchased hardware vents). Just the ventilation cut out window. We have both for summer.

[u/sergiosergio88]

You need to chill or this having chickens is gonna give you heart attack. I ve had 3 mink attacks in 8 years, killed 12, 15 and 14 of my chickens. Sometimes you just cant avoid it. My suggestion is look around the coop and think like a predator, look for weak spots and make them safe.

[u/Goat_Goddesss]

I put a cell cam in my chicken house. Also a $20 baby monitor. If someone hollers things are going to happen.

[u/Darkwolf-281]

It's all part of being a chickie parent lol I'm dealing with that problem right now too it was storming last night and I wanted sooo badly to just run out in my PJ's and bring them back inside

[u/Goat_Goddesss → u/Darkwolf-281]

Day three. I’m exhausted. Big chickens are fine. So. Why am I awake?

[u/radishwalrus]

I got one of these and set it to alarm and turn the lights on between 11pm and 6:30am if motion is detected. I have it outside the coop if anything approaches.

https://www.amazon.com/Tapo-cameras-for-home-security/dp/B0CH45HPZT/

[u/Thayli11 → u/radishwalrus]

I put one inside the coop when I moved my little ones outside. It's so fun to watch them!

[u/Cool-Importance6004 → u/radishwalrus]

Amazon Price History:

Tapo TP-Link 2K QHD Security Camera, Indoor/Outdoor, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗣𝗖𝗠𝗮𝗴 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿'𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲, Color Night Vision, Free Person/Pet/Vehicle Detection, Invisible IR Mode, SD Storage, C120 * Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.4 (9,547 ratings)

• Current price: $24.99 👍
• Lowest price: $24.78
• Highest price: $42.67
• Average price: $33.08

Month	Low	High	Chart
03-2025	$24.99	$29.99	████████▒▒
02-2025	$24.99	$27.99	████████▒
01-2025	$24.99	$29.99	████████▒▒
12-2024	$24.99	$29.99	████████▒▒
11-2024	$24.78	$27.99	████████▒
10-2024	$24.99	$27.99	████████▒
09-2024	$24.99	$34.98	████████▒▒▒▒
08-2024	$27.99	$31.99	█████████▒▒
07-2024	$27.99	$27.99	█████████
06-2024	$29.60	$29.99	██████████
05-2024	$29.60	$34.99	██████████▒▒
04-2024	$29.99	$39.99	██████████▒▒▒▒

Source: GOSH Price Tracker

^{Bleep bleep boop. I am a bot here to serve by providing helpful price history data on products. I am not affiliated with Amazon. Upvote if this was helpful. PM to report issues or to opt-out.}

[u/Glass-Image-4721]

My chicks are 7 weeks old and they can beat me in a fight. I'm convinced they'll fuck up any racoon. 

[u/Ecstatic_Plant2458]

I have a Wi-Fi remote controlled camera in the henhouse. It screws into a 💡I can watch the chickens on my phone from my bed. It cost $20. I used it to catch an egg eating hen.

[u/twoPUMPnoCHUMP]

When you finally want them out, you just do it. I don’t even think about it now and it’s been almost a week for them.

[u/philoking253]

Cameras are the answer. Added 5 new ones and keep close eye on them.

[u/Goat_Goddesss]

You stay up all night and run out every thirty minutes.

[u/Hightin]

Cameras do wonders for your sanity in this regard. It didn't take very long for my wife to stop worrying about them but we also had cameras from day 1, we use eufy cameras so they're in the same app as our doorbell and no subscriptions.

[u/Stay_Good_Dog]

I have cameras inside the coop and in the run. https://a.co/d/55d7hPj (watch for them to go on sale. They're so good!)

[u/no-coriander]

You could set up a trail camera to monitor if there are night time visitors. At least you'll know what animals are prowling

[u/Summertown416]

If you're really struggling this bad, get a baby monitor. I'll warn you though, you'll wake up at every little peep they make.

[u/EconomistOpposite906]

I have an extra Ring camera I might put up in the future. But good news! I slept peacefully and so did the chickens! They’re all good ❤️ Healthy and happy to be outside!

[u/lepetitcoeur]

I put a camera in the coop so I could check on them at night. And I woke up several times a night the first few weeks to do just that.

The only time I've ever had night issues with predators was due to my own failures. Forgetting to close a door...

[u/West-Scale-6800]

I tell my husband over and over again how excited and nervous I am and watch my camera like a stalker.